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Reading Response 5

The document discusses two common misconceptions about writing: that it is a natural talent and that good writing comes easily on the first try. It notes that most writers require revision and do not get it right the first time. The author struggles with this as a playwright, reworking drafts repeatedly without satisfaction, but understands the final product is most important, not achieving perfection on the first try. A quote from Anne Lamott's article advises the author to just start writing rather than kill themselves, which the author takes as motivation to overcome obstacles through organization and scheduling to complete writing assignments.

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Adonis Perez
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38 views

Reading Response 5

The document discusses two common misconceptions about writing: that it is a natural talent and that good writing comes easily on the first try. It notes that most writers require revision and do not get it right the first time. The author struggles with this as a playwright, reworking drafts repeatedly without satisfaction, but understands the final product is most important, not achieving perfection on the first try. A quote from Anne Lamott's article advises the author to just start writing rather than kill themselves, which the author takes as motivation to overcome obstacles through organization and scheduling to complete writing assignments.

Uploaded by

Adonis Perez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Adonis Perez

Reading Response 5

1. I have faced two common misconceptions when it comes to writing. The first

misconception is the idea that writing is a natural talent that you either have or do not have. The

second misconception ties in with the second, and it is the belief that a writer gets their work

right on their first try. The textbook addresses that “most good writers neither find writing easy

nor ‘get it right the first time,’ because revision is central to developing writing and writing is

imperfectible” (Wardle 707). Navigating the world of language is very difficult, and it can be a

struggle to find your own voice within all the jargon. Students can often be discouraged because

we are lead to believe that everything is either right or wrong. We can sometimes view criticism

as a bad thing, but most people are not going to write a perfect draft on their first try. I struggle a

lot with this as a playwright when I often find myself reworking draft after draft and never being

quite happy with it. I can get frustrated when I don’t nail something on the first try, but the truth

of the matter is that it really does not matter how long or how many paths you have to take to get

to the final product. The most important thing is the final product, and even that does not have to

be perfect because we will always continue to grow and learn.

4. One of the quotes that stuck out to me while I read Anne Lamott’s article was “it’s not

like you have a choice, because you do – you can either type or kill yourself” (Lamott 853). I

feel that this quote pretty much summarized my strategies for making myself start writing. I

either do it or I don’t. However, one of the things that help me clear my mind is having a clear

and organized set of notes and resources that I can access. As playwright, most of the time I
don’t really need much of an incentive to start writing. If I have an idea it will bother and nag at

me until I finally put it down on paper. When it comes to writing for school, I just have to force

myself to do it because there is not much choice. I set up a schedule and plan that allows me to

be flexible and take my time so I don’t have to get through it all at once.
WORKS CITED

Lamott, Anne. “Shitty First Drafts.” Writing about Writing, written by Elizabeth Wardle and

Doug Downs. 3rd ed. Bedford St. Martin’s, 2017. 852-857. Print.

Wardle, Elizabeth, and Doug Downs. Writing About Writing. 3rd ed. Bedford St. Martin’s, 2017.

Print.

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